One of my dreams is to visit the homelands of my ancestors… Ireland. I want to visit the green Isle and really see it from the locals point of view. Tourists may visit key attractions, but I am an explorer by heart, and wish to adventure ‘off the beaten path’, so to speak. I believe I would have to actually live there for a few years to see for myself what wonders the lands hold in store for me, and to even come close to satisfying my curiosity. Ireland is a land full of mystery, as well as a rich culture and history. I know for certain that I will attain my dream of visiting the mysterious places of my ancestors in this lifetime, and I am very excited to hold this dream close to my heart.

For now, I will indulge in viewing the stunning countryside through the eyes of a friend, and brilliant photographer, Jordan Clemments. The images in this post are courtesy of Jordan from his website at Irishviews.com.

I really needed to take some serious action and get my body back on track. Whereas before these health issues began to arise and I did not have to devote so much active thought to my weight or health, lately I have had to actually pay even closer attention to what I eat, and raise my metabolism to a desirable stage to burn off the excess fat. This is a challenge, but I do know how to work out safely, and my martial arts background gives me the confidence to reach my goals. I just have to be consistant and work a little harder than when I was younger, yet I know I will be back in tip top shape in no time at all.

I am actively practicing Qigong, an ancient Chinese form of health and healing designed to bring inner health, which I will elaborate upon as I progress. Along with this I am always curious to find new ways to shape and sculpt my outer self to where I wish to be. I will not be satisfied until I attain my goals, and I do love a good challenge.

Even though I am quite skilled in  physical training, I would like to try something new and exciting. I believe I may have found what I am looking for in XFLOWSION, which claims to be an exercise program that efficiently and effectively gives us all three workouts in one convenient workout, combining the proven best moves from martial arts, power yoga, and dance, providing jaw-dropping results in 1/3 the time.

XFLOWSION really sounds fun, and I will be sure to offer up a better opinion as I take myself to the next level. From what I can see celebrity trainer Eric Paskel, who has shaped up some of the hottest bodies in Hollywood, combines his leading-edge fitness and psychology background to bring fresh, constantly shifting moves which are specifically designed to promote continuous fat burning and muscle toning. Well, I can honestly say this meets the criteria I am looking for in a workout, and I love dance, martial arts, and yoga. Sounds perfect to me!

Note: As always, I suggest everyone uses their own good judgement when choosing a new form of excercise, and chech with your health care provider before beginning a new program.

Dr. Farris will be addressing the legal trends which threaten parental rights, along with answers to the following questions:

~ Are parental rights procedural or substantive?

~Do we need a Parental Rights Amendment?

~ What threats are posed by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child?

~ Is homeschooling a right or an evasive privilege?

Friday’s lectures will be from 7 to 9 p.m.; Saturday’s lectures will be from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Students as well as the general public are welcome. There is no fee.

Click here to RSVP online >>

If you are going to be in the area, please feel free to join this important event.

So, as the hallowed time approaches we fire up our imaginations to create fantastic costumes to suit our tastes. If we cannot come up with great home made ideas, as I love to do, then we must seek the best halloween costume stores with unique, totally cool, and realistic outfits. Personally, I prefer to be a little different, and one of my favourite memories was the year my little S dressed up as a hobo and hit the streets in search of treats and goodies. People must have felt quite sorry for the little urchin, as she collected more candy and such than any other year, and folks commented upon her sad demeanor. I was a wicked witch with a cackling laugh, so we most certainly left an impression of darkness and despair along our trail. It was such a grand adventure, and one we shall always remember fondly. Of course there was the year my dear S was a Gypsy… that was great fun, and a story for another day!

Perhaps others have not the time or resources to create their own fantastic costume, and would like to spice up their own Halloween adventure with a custume created by true Masters of Masquerade. Any time is a great time to dress up and enact our most desired fantasies, especially this time of year, as parties and masquerades rule the festive season. Truly, can we really know if this is the real world or the virtual one?

Psssst… This is a copy of a post I created over at my other blog This Virtual World, and I just wanted to share!

The “Your Lands, Your Wildlife, Your Story” contest from Defenders of Wildlife is an opportunity for fans of America’s public lands to share their stories. Six great prizes are up for grabs, including $1,000 in gift cards to REI for the best overall story.

Defenders will accept submissions through Nov. 30, 2008 at www.YourLandsYourWildlife.org or by direct mail. Submissions will be accepted in five categories: hunting, fishing, birding, wildlife watching and photography, and backcountry adventure. The contest winners will be announced in January, 2009.

Choose from one of the following categories, and in 500 words or less, tell about…

Birding: The time you got to check that rare bird off your life-list, or the one that you’re still searching for.

Fishing: What made your last fishing trip to our public lands so great: the huge fish you reeled in, the one that got away, or the other wildlife that you saw while you fished?

Hunting: A hunt on public lands that brought you within a few yards of your quarry or just closer to your hunting buddies and nature.

Outdoor Adventure: The wildlife you saw on the last peak you bagged, camping in the backcountry, or along a simple walk through the woods.

Photography/Wildlife Watching: The extraordinary wildlife you captured in a nature photograph or an interesting encounter you had while in a National Forest or on BLM lands.

I’ll just bet there are some really great stories just waiting to be told about people’s adventures in the wilderness. These lands are so very important for Life and the future, and we owe it to our children to leave them a legacy where there are plenty of wild places to visit, explore and enjoy throughout time.

These lands are bursting with wildlife. Unchecked, unsustainable development is threatening U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands. Nearly 3,000 wildlife species and 10,000 plant species inhabit these 449 million acres, and they depend on these federal agencies to keep these lands healthy.

We need to present a united stand against radical exploitations upon nature. There are clean alternatives to our energy and fuel needs, and these are the areas that need to be explored and addressed in a responsible manner. Science brings us technologies which can help shape the future in a clean, positive way. Let’s hear your stories today… don’t miss the November 30th deadline to get those stories told!

Visit Your Lands, Your Wildlife, Your Story today to learn more.

As governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin has proposed paying a $150 bounty for the foreleg of each dead wolf. The aerial hunting program she champions has already killed nearly 800 wolves. She’s opposed efforts to save America’s polar bears from extinction. She’s fought against efforts to save some of the world’smost endangered beluga whales.

At nearly every opportunity, Governor Palin has sided with Big Oil, mining companies, wealthy trophy hunters and other entrenched special interests in support of policies that would greatly harm the wild animals we treasure.

Here is the latest news from Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund since they released their hard-hitting video on Palins support for the wolf slaughter last week…

~ Nearly 450,000 potential voters have read our email!
~ More than 68,000 potential voters have viewed the video on YouTube, with many more spread the word by re-posting the video on their websites and blogs and forwarding it to friends.
~ CNN and other news outlets have picked up the story, running clips from Defenders of Wildlife Action fund and our sister organization Defenders of Wildlife.

Here is the brutal video as seen on YouTube. Please be aware this video is quite disturbing and may not be suitable for all audiences, so use your own good judgement…

To reach hundreds of thousands of swing voters who will help decide this election, we’ve created a powerful new television spot detailing Governor Palin’s efforts to kill wolves and bears. But we can only run it with your financial help today.

Click here to watch Defenders new television ad on Governor Palin’s support for aerial hunting and help us run it on television stations starting in Ohio, one of the handful of swing states that will decide the election.

Running a television ad during an election year is expensive. We need to raise $100,000 by September 17th in order to run this ad and support the work to provide a voice for endangered wildlife. Let’s make a stand and get the truth out about Sarah Palin and her unjust views of the natural world. Do we really want to allow this woman a high place in our goverment where the damage created can be much worse? Please help spread the word!!

Alaska Senators Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski have a plan to pave a destructive road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge… a paradise where wildflowers blossom on fragile tundra, thousands of birds burst from lagoons of eelgrass and brown bears feast on salmon returning to spawn.

We can’t let that happen.

As members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, our Senators can help defeat this costly and unnecessary bill that would blaze a destructive path through one of our national treasures.

With lagoons, tundra and stunning mountain peaks, the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge is internationally recognized as an important wetland, protected as a wildlife refuge and designated as a wilderness area.

Tens of thousands of waterfowl, seabirds and shorebirds rely on the Izembek — one of Alaska’s most ecologically unique refuges — for nesting and feeding. In fact, each fall the refuge shelters nearly the entire population of the Pacific black brant and the emperor goose. This incredible habitat is also home to brown bears, wolverines, steller’s eiders, caribou and other wildlife. The proposed road would slice through the ecological heart of this special place, devastating fragile habitat and the wildlife that lives there… and costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. It would also set a terrible precedent, threatening other refuges and wilderness areas. 

Take action now — tell your Senators to oppose a destructive road though an Alaskan paradise.

With your help, we can defeat this costly and destructive plan… and preserve one of Alaska’s most spectacular paradises. We must use our voices and act to protect those who cannot save themselves before all of our wild places are destroyed. It would be a damn shame to leave our future generations a world devoid of natural wildlife where green places are few and far between.

Some days we are especially reminded of what is most important to us in this earthly Life. Seeing the headlines reporting on the deadly storms bombarding the coastlines and islands in their paths makes me want to hold my loved ones close and thank the goddess for all our blessings. Keeping our family and friends in our hearts, thoughts and deeds are the most important aspects of living. We are rich in many ways, which have nothing to do with money, clothes and fancy cars. My little S presents the greatest of challenges in parenthood, yet she brings such Joy to my heart. She can try my patience to the very limits (and I am a VERY patient person most days), yet she has a special gift of Wisdom in which mere glimpses are emerging.

She gifted me a tiny plaque for my birthday which now has a place of honor on my desk to remind me of why my little ones are so very important to me. It says…

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away”

This is true in so many ways! It amazes me to watch my family grow, and develop into fine human beings. As the matriarch of this family, I stand in a place of honor. From babyhood to adulthood, I have experienced many ups and downs, yet the good far surpasses the bad. I have raised my children without a partner, yet I feel so accomplished when I see the goodness and values I am instilling within my children and their children as well. There is no greater reward than knowing these beings will carry on all that is good inside me to future generations.

As Family and Nature represent that which is dearest to me, I chose the picture above to show clearly that which takes my breath away. To watch my little one growing into a beautiful young Lady, inside and out, takes my breath away. When my little S looks at me with her big brown eyes and says ‘I Love You Mama’, her words enter my heart and take my breath away. What more can a Lady ask for?

So, when I discovered a sweet and comfortable travel accessory called the Cabin Cuddler I was all over it. This amazing blanket comes with it’s own inflatable pillow, and is contoured to cover every inch of your body. This is so perfect for travel, as it comes with a reversible tote bag which holds the blanket and pillow. It even has a patented pocket to keep my little S’s feet toasty warm… how cool is that?

Well then, next time we head out on a great adventure, I can not only save space for my daughters car load of activities to keep her busy, I can also provide her with a cozy travel blanket and pillow which is convenient and keeps my little S warm as I blast the air conditioning to keep myself cool in the desert climates we love to visit.

August 27th marked my 46th year on this planet. How do I feel about that? Well, first of all, I like the sound of the number 46. It has a nice ring to it. Also, I do not look or feel my age, so I don’t really feel old. Although, I was a bit melancholy for part of the day. I kept thinking about my family… those who are far away, and those who have crossed over. I miss them. At this time I am always reminded of days long ago when we were all together and so very happy.

While I was sitting on my patio thinking of my loved ones, I began to cry. This is unusual for me because I am usually such a happy person. The tears just came, and my heart felt near to breaking. Then a strange thing happened. A frog jumped into my line of site and landed on my beautifully blooming begonia! It startled me out of my tears, as it just appeared from nowhere. My plant sits on my patio table, and I have never seen a frog near my house before. I stared in wonder, and decided to snap a picture or two, to share this strange phenomena. The little frog jumped into my plant and disappeared. I did not see it hop away, and could not find it when I carefully searched inside the plant. It had served it’s purpose, then went its merry way… LOL

Needless to say, after that things just got better. My son J arrived with a cake and gifts. He and my daughter had visited the mall and got me some pretty cool gifts… books, candles and totally sweet chinese style wall hangings. And chocolate of course! Sweet, delicious Northwest Truffles in three delectable flavors… Raspberry, Mocha and Mint… yummm!! J got me two new movies; Stardust and 10,000 BC. We watched Stardust and it was quite entertaining. It sure gave me a whole new perspective into Rober DeNiro’s acting abilities.. hehehe.

My faraway family called soon after my son J arrived, and filled my heart with love and happy thoughts. My spirit brightened considerably as each moment unfolded, and I feel truly blessed to have so many people that truly care. The little frog sent a positve message that I am never truly alone, and although those I love are not always near me in person, the creatures that inhabit this Earth alongside us are here to keep us company as well. I spend so much time advocating for the health of the environment and the animals in danger on this planet, that it seems only fitting that it was one of natures tiny creatures that stopped by for a brief visit and pulled me out of my funk. Just goes to show you that it is the little things that count.

This is how I feel about spammers. Although I have certain measures in place which deters most of them, every time I black-list a few, they are replaced by more. What is it with some people thinking they shouldn’t have to work for themselves, and just get off by piggy-backing on someone elses ideas and content? Truly, those of us who wish to create a great space to share ideas about our passions always welcome input and ideas to expand upon a certain subject. And we do not always expect everyone to agree with us or understand where we are coming from. But hey, can’t you spammers (you know who you are) get a life and learn how to be creative without wasting precious time creating chaos with your unimaginative and stupid comments? Sometimes I wonder how spammers even think someone is going to be dumb enough to fall for some of the stuff they spout about.

Whew! Alrighty then… now I feel just a wee bit better having vented my aggravated feelings relating to spammers. May their computers become infested with the creepiest and nastiest viruses on the planet!

For those who truly enjoy blogging and reading other peoples blogs as well, I thank you for your visit. It is so wonderful to interact with others with common interests, so we may share our time spent in this space in time on this beautiful planet Earth. I will be back soon with something interesting and totally cool, green and growing!

Enjoy!

Now, there are different levels of Emergencies. Having several packs ready to go at all times, one for each member of the family, is a great idea. We can keep these packs in a place which is easy to access on the go, in case we need to leave in a hurry, making certain everyone knows where their pack is. Practice Emergency routines once in a while to keep this in mind without creating a panic… we do not need to obsess. Keeping emergency supplies in our vehicles is also a great idea, just in case we are not home when danger strikes.

Another thing to keep in mind is our water supplies. Just in case our water becomes tainted, or we are uncertain of the purity, we should educate ourselves with Water Storage information and gather Water Filters, Purifiers and Storage Containers.

I would like to follow up on this subject in the near future with a list of supplies which may be helpful for those uncertain of what to gather. Sometimes it is not possible to gather all we may need, either because of our location or financial situation, yet common sense will show us what we need most so we can at least stand a chance of surviving if the unthinkable happens. Remember, when the Hurricane, Tornado, Earthquake or Disaster warnings go out (or hit), the time to prepare is over… like trying to buy fire insurance when the house is on fire.

I am lucky in that we have an extended family and friends who have thought about this occurance for quite some time now, and we are prepared to gather in a place of safety if at all possible. Educating ourselves in survival techniques is very important, as one never knows when an Emergency situation may occur, and it is better to be prepared so we are less likely to panic, and supplies may not be readily available. As always, I am most happy to hear ideas and suggestions which may be helpful in an Emergency situation.